Don't Rain on My Parade: The 'Funny Girl' Movie Love Thread- Page 2

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 2:00pm

I disagree Streisand would have been a huge star in fifties cinema where the archetype was Janet Leigh, Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn. Streisand came along at a time when tastes were changing towards the more unusual likes of Mia Farrow, Dustin Hoffman, John Voight, Ali MacGraw, etc. She fit right in, had the stuff, and off she went.

You make a valid point there. I never considered that but now that you brought it up it's very true. Around this time we had Hoffman, Voight, MacGraw, Farrow and even Nicholson, DeNiro, Pacino and Hackman making their marks.
Updated On: 6/12/10 at 02:00 PM

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 2:44pm

She would have had a better chance at stardom in the 30s over the 50s, imo.

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 2:45pm

Wow, PalJoey, this is that train sequence is absolutely ahead of its time. However, what I think about Wyler so special is that not only he learned/adapted previous masters but he also increase the complication of his camera moment and editing to respond to the movement of the music closely.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 3:23pm

"Whatever happened to that cute younger guy with the Streisand-ish nose who used to post here?"

I think his name was luvliza something-or-other. He seemed to disappear shortly after Sueleengay posted a link to his XTube videos.

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 3:33pm

Run Barbara, run!

Our favorite thing to yell at the video during "Don't Rain on My Parade".

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 5:30pm

It's Barbra with no "A" not "Barbara" with an "A"
Cause Barbra with no "A" goes "bra" not "ba-ra."

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 6:19pm

However, what I think about Wyler so special is that not only he learned/adapted previous masters but he also increase the complication of his camera moment and editing to respond to the movement of the music closely.


I think you need to pay better attention to a whole lot of musicals that came before Funny Girl. Speaking strictly from a film perspective (and making no commentary about the number, itself), Don't Rain of My Parade isn't anymore advanced than most musical numbers, in a whole variety of films that precede it. One of the reasons it is the highlight of the film, is that the film is fairly old-fashioned in its cinematic approach, and fairly studio-bound. Compare it to The Sound of Music, which came 3 years earlier. Funny Girl pales by comparison in scope and cinematic achievement. The cinematography and editing of say, Do Re Mi is a masterwork, compared to Don't Rain on My Parade. Look at another Robert Wise musical, West Side Story, and it's opening number, or any other musical number in it. All are at least the equal, if not superior to DROMP, and it was made 8 years prior to FG. You can point to almost any time in film musical history and find a musical number that is as visually complex and compelling as DROMP. Regardless of how much you might like the movie, I don't believe most people who rate it as one that advanced the art the film musical. Even Oliver!, from the same year, is technically superior in its presentation of musical numbers.

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 7:49pm

Well, I'm not saying that the sequence of DROMP is far superior than those sequences in those movies you mentioned that are before Funny Girl. I actually think DROMP, in scope and technique wise, is far from the league of those in West Side Story and the Sound of Music. Or maybe I should put it this way, what I want to say is that the cinematic directions in Funny Girl is special because those sequences you mentioned are only showing a scope and cinematic movement of a musical number (which are far more complicated and artistic than Funny Girl), but the sequences in Funny Girl are not that case. It's more realistic and also more an inner exploration of the characters instead of just showing the scope of a musical number (not saying that Funny Girl is more artistic than those classic musical movies prior to it). I'm not saying Funny Girl, in artistic sense, is superior from previous musical movies, but some of the decisions made in it is new in concept.
Updated On: 6/12/10 at 07:49 PM

[chickfila]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 4:18pm

I disagree that Streisand wouldn't have made it big in the movies in the 50's. Judy Garland was by no means a beauty when she started, but it was her talent that got her the audition and contract with MGM. Louis B. would've heard Streisand's voice and signed her. He too may not have known what to do with her, but she would've broken through. My opinion.

As for the disparity between Fanny's roller skating in Roller Skate Rag and I'd Rather Be Blue, I read it to be intentional - that Fanny really could skate, but was being instinctive and CHOSE NOT to be able to skate in the first song so she'd stand out.

Once she did and got her encore, her ability to roller skate proficiently was displayed.

Just my interpretation.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 6:15pm

Guess I should see this, huh?